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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Races of Salt in Wounds

These are the most common races in Salt in Wounds and what sort of place they make for themselves in the city.

Human Humans are the most common race of Salt in Wounds and dominate most power structures. However, given the incredible diversity of the city, it is important to note that they are not the majority, merely the largest minority. Notably, humans of dozens upon dozens of ethnicities live and work in the city. Common wisdom holds that human (and demihuman) residents will lose most of their individual 'culture' as they are integrated into Salt in Wounds; a process generally referred to as becoming 'properly salted.' How 'salted' someone is (accent, manner of dress, indifference to Tarrasque noises and movements) is the most important discrimator for class status as most other human racial features (hair, skin, eye color and so on) are usually ignored. Still, numerous ethnic enclaves exist within the city (largely populated by more recent waves of émigrés) that hold onto their own values and cultural identity in opposition to those held by the city at large.

Elf Currently, there are no 'true' Elves living as long term residents in the city... most find the reality of Salt in Wounds to be extremely distasteful. For Synoma - the larger world of which Salt in Wounds is but one city- there are perhaps only 5,000 true elves remaining (the rate at which elves succumb to suicidal ennui has far outstripped their willingness to breed with other elves for the last dozen centuries).

Half-Elf Half-Elves (that is, individuals with both human + elven anscestors with noticeable phenotypic features of each) are a significant ethnic minority. Many work as brokers & agents for their immortal (and extremely wealthy) elven progenitors and 8th House was founded by a female Half-Elf named Virtan Berkuyin. The still living Binder-Lady has sired hundreds of Half-Elf (technically 'quarter' elf) offspring in the centuries of her reign (she is almost always pregnant usually each pregnancy begun by a different male who caught her eye and usually gives birth to twins, triplets, or even septuplets).

Dwarf Dwarves are rare in Salt in Wounds (in large part because of the significant presence of Druegar). However, as a population they tend to be quite well-to-do as many excel as skilled Bonesmiths & prosperous Blood-Merchants. 10th House was founded by a Dwarven sorcerer named Wyrex Ironband who left for an unknown quest in AB 137 after naming his adopted half-orc daughter (Juleaq Ironband) successor over his natural born children.

Half-Orc 'Half-Orcs' (though their exact percentage of Orcine blood varies) are extremely common in Salt in Wounds and are the most represented after humans. In the early days of the fortress, the human defenders of the Tarrasque hunted down and exterminated the male orcs of the nearby Seven-Talon clan, enslaving the juveniles and claiming the females as 'spoils of victory' (concubines and sex-slaves). From their rapine beginnings, the half-orc children of these unions have become a dominant force in Salt in Wounds (and the city's acceptance of these individuals drives a lot of immigration by non-native Half-Orcs) though this population has come into increasing conflict with the 'true' Orcs recruited by the Marrow Miners.

Gnome Gnomes are well represented, particularly amongst alchemists. This is largely a result of Tonagree Bumblezaz (an early, prominent gnomish alchemist and first teacher of Bakal Filligreen) sending invitation letters (and offering to help with the resettling) of every one of his thousand and eight cousins in addition to their families. The gnomes of Salt in Wounds are known for a 'playfullness' that runs into overt sadism. Whether this is some effect of the city of a selection bias of the sorts of Gnomes who choose to live in Salt in Wounds is a subject of much barroom speculation.

Halfling Halflings served as servants, camp followers, and slaves of the army that originally bound the Tarrasque; and most of the their descendants fit in a similar caste in the present day. This is so often the case that most simply assume every Halfling they meet is a slave. This is especially troubling for Halfling courtiers of 13th House (the so-called 'people's' house) which was founded by Rexaney Bramblethumb - a teenage Halfling servant who stepped into place to accurately fire the final immoveable harpoon when her master fled.

Other + Monstrous Races Almost every other race can be found in Salt in Wounds (even many from alternate planes) drawn by the spectacle of pain, by the alchemical wonders, or (most commonly) by the markets. Of particular note are normally 'monstrous' races which have legal status and recognition in Salt in Wounds. First and most prominently the Ghouls of Salt in Wounds, and the Orcs, Druegar, Mites, and others who have eked out a place in the human dominated society (and are usually found in the employ of the Marrow Miners).

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